Thankfully, Ryan’s private life is far less dramatic than his alter ego Robert’s…
We’ve loved watching Ryan Hawley on our screens as Emmerdale’s brilliant Robert Sugden ever since he became the fourth actor to take on the role back in 2014 - and with Ryan's departure from the soap now imminent, what better time to take a look at the actor behind one half of Robron?
As Robert's time in Emmerdale comes to an end, actor Ryan has reflected on his time in the soap telling Digital Spy... "I have been very lucky to be involved in some very ambitious stunts, but the big crash scenes in 2016 stand out.
"The underwater scenes that we filmed at Pinewood studios were fantastic. Everyone pulled together, we were up against the odds but I really think we managed to pull it off."
While Robert’s life is packed with drama in Emmerdale, it seems Ryan favours a quieter life, even preferring not to have social media accounts like most of his co-stars.
So what do we know about the actor who has graced our screens for the last five years?
Here’s seven things you probably didn’t know about Emmerdale actor Ryan Hawley…
1. He was born in Dubai
Although Ryan is from Sheffield, he was actually born in Dubai, because that’s where his parents were working at the time. His childhood was then split between Sheffield and Dubai and Ryan grew up calling both places home.
2. He wanted to be a film director
At school Ryan took A-Level Media Studies, and that - as well as taking part in numerous school plays - made him realise that he wanted to be a film director. After realising that it was tricky to get into directing, Ryan made the decision to become an actor instead and trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
3. His family are all massive Emmerdale fans
After landing the role of Emmerdale’s Robert Sugden, Ryan confessed that he kept his new job a secret from his family. The actor told Digital Spy: “My family are massive fans of the show and I actually didn't tell them I'd been cast because I wanted to keep it a secret.
“I knew that if they knew about it, it would just be a massive distraction. When it was released that I was going to be playing Robert, they were over the moon. I should have told them straight away because they just had this wealth of knowledge about the show.
“They knew more about my character and every other character in the show than I could possibly get from watching it for as long as I could!”
4. Ryan Hawley is married to wife Daisy
Ryan married his wife Daisy Prestes de Oliveira back in 2013, but both have managed to keep their relationship to themselves, preferring to stay away from social media. The only time Ryan has been spotted with his wife was when she joined him on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards back in 2016.
5. Acting wasn’t his first job
Before landing his big break on Emmerdale when he was 29, Ryan tried his hand at some totally different career paths. Not only did he work as a labourer and stacked shelves in a shop, but he even cooked Japanese food. Who knew?
6. He’s not just an actor
While acting is clearly what Ryan was born to do, keeping us glued to Emmerdale with his portrayal of Robert Sugden, it seems TV and theatre work aren't the only skills he has on his CV. Ryan is also a talented singer and can also play the guitar.
7. Emmerdale wasn’t his first acting role
Ryan’s acting career began back in 2007 when he landed a part in a TV show called Life Is Wild. Since then he’s appeared in programmes like Doctors, The Royal, Father Brown, Titanic and Between You & Me.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
Main pic: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
